Two Scientists Receive Nobel Prize in Medicine for Work on Covid-19 mRNA Vaccine Transcript

Finally tonight, their discovery led to a monumental medical breakthrough, but even they were surprised when they learned today they’re receiving one of the world’s most prestigious awards. Here’s Andrea Mitchell.

The Nobel Prize in Medicine, the last thing a pair of scientists expected when the phone rang at 3:40 this morning.

My husband picked up and he was talking to somebody, and then he just handed over and said, “This is for you.”

Did you believe it at first?

Not really, because people can make jokes.

I also thought it was a prank or an anti-vax joke or something.

Especially surprising because their work had been ignored, even ridiculed for decades. They were working in different departments at the University of Pennsylvania, when they discovered each other at the copying machine.

I have to say that working together, that was the real reward.

Born in Hungary, Kariko came to the US in the 1980’s. We first talked to her, and Drew Weissman two years ago when the COVID vaccines were becoming more available. Talk to me about how skeptical people were about the value of RNA.

I don’t know. Did we listen to them? Not really.

I mean, everybody was skeptical. But we didn’t care.

Together they found a way to create a vaccine that got past the body’s defenses, but still prompted the immune system to make antibodies to fight disease. Now their discovery is leading to new vaccines for AIDS and sickle cell anemia, even gene therapies to prevent some cancers. Her message to young people?

Just to hang on and be resilient and have fun and enjoy.

Katie and I certainly didn’t go into science for money or for awards. We did it because of interest and curiosity.

And the joy of saving millions of lives. Andrea Mitchell, NBC News, Washington.